Sep 1, 2008

Zeena Parkins is an avant garde and improvisation multi-intstrumentalist known from works of NEWS FROM BABEL, SKELETON CREW, NO SAFETY, FRED FRITH, JOHN ZORN, DAVID SHEA, a.o...though she`s got some more publicity working with BJORK in 2001. Acoustic and electric harps, her main instruments, loose commom use in Zeena`s hands, creating a wide spectre of unsual or unheard before sounds. "Something out there", released in 1987 from NoMan`s Land german label, is her debut solo LP. Great musicians are by her side: Ikue Mori (drums, electronic drums), Tom Cora (drums, samples), Wayne Horvitz (synth), JimMenesses (drums), Sam Bennett (drums), Christian Marclay (turntables). As the line up reveals, the album is build on improvised percussion and weird harp sounds. One or two times Zeena approaches "proper" structured compositions but generally album`s concept is closer to a free-form meeting of several, often contrasted sounds.